Adjustable and collapsible support.



B. G. PATTEN.

ADJUSTABLE AND OOLLAPSIBLB SUPPORT.

-APPLIOATION FILED JULY 25, 1903. N0 MODEL.

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PATENTED MAR. 22, 1904.

PATENTBD MAR 22 1904. E. G. PATTEN. ADJUSTABLE AND GOLLAPSIBLE' SUPPORT.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 25, 1903.

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'PATENTED MAR. 22, 1 904.-

. E. G'. PATTBN. ADJUSTABLE AND GOLLAPSIBLE SUPPORT.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 25, 1903.

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PATENT OFFI E.

ESTELLA G. PATTEN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

ADJUSTABLE AND COLLAPSIBLE SUPPORT- SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 755,039, dated March 22, 1904.

A plication filed July 25, 1903. Serial No. 166,939. (No model.)

To all whom, it flea/y concern:

Be it known that I, ESTELLA G.PATTEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Adjustable and Collapsible Supports, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in a portable, collapsible, and adjustable support, and while it is more especially intended to be used for the purpose of supporting a hammock, yet it is applicable for various other purposes, such as for supporting a swing or for forming a ridge-pole support for tents and for other purposes; and it consists in certain peculiarities of the construction, .novel arrangement,

and combination of the various parts thereof, as will be hereinafter more fully set forth and specifically claimed.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide a support of the above-named character which shall be simple and inexpensive in construction, strong and durable, and so made that its parts may be easily assembled or readily detached and placed into a compact form.

Another object of the invention is to so construct the parts that they may be adjusted in such a manner as to enable a hammock to be swung in a small area or on an uneven or inclined surface.

A still further object is to provide supporting means the main or connecting bars of which may be securely held in position, and the supporting-legs therefor may be adjusted so as to vary the height of the main or connecting bars.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be disclosed in the subjoined description and explanation.

In order to enable others skilled in the art to which my invention pertains to make and use the same, I will now proceed to describe it, referring to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of a support embodying one form of my invention, showing it in use as a hammock-support. Fig. 2 is an enlarged view, in side elevation, of the upper portion of one of the supporting-legs and its securing-clamp. Fig. 3 is an edge View ing-clamps.

thereof with the screw-bolt removed. Fig. 1 is a central vertical sectional view of one of the securing-clamps. Fig. 5 is a View in elevation, partly in section, of the support, showa modification in the construction thereof and its parts arranged to form a support for a swing as well as for one end of a hammock. Fig. 6 is a view in elevation of one set of the supporting-legs and the main or connecting bar, showing them detached from one another and telescoped. Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the support, showing still another modification in its construction and illustrating its parts arranged to form a ridge-pole or support for a tent; Fig. 8 is a side View in elevation of a modified form of the securingclamp used on the upper end of the supporting-legs. Fig. 9 is avertical central sectional view thereof. Fig. 10 is a similar view of'another modification in the form of the secur- Fig. 11 is a face view thereof. Fig. 12 is a detail view of aportion of one of the clamps shown in Figs. 10 and 11, and Fig. 13 is a perspective view of a portion of the support embodying still another modification and showing its parts arranged for the support of a hammock.

Like numerals of reference refer to corresponding parts throughout the diiferent views of the drawings.

The reference-numeral 20 represents the main or connecting bars, which may be made of any suitable size, form, and material and are supported in a horizontal position by means of legs or upright members located near their, ends and about their middle, as is clearly shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings. Each of these legs comprises an upper tubular portion 21,

in the lower end of which is fitted a slightlyreduced portion 22, so as to telescope therewith. The reduced portions of the legs are preferably provided with openings 23 to receive the securing-bolts 2 1, which are located in the lower part of the portions 21 and are employed to fix the sections 21 and 22., comprising each of the legs, together. The upper end of each of the portions 21 of the supporting-legs has secured thereon a socketed piece 25, the upper portion of which is provided with a transverse opening having serrations 26 to receive and engage the connecting-bars. The upper portion of each of the pieces is also formed with a transverse slot 27, thereby forming two prongs 28, through openings in which is passed a screw-threaded bolt 29, on

one end of which is located a winged nut 30,

used for drawing the prongs 28 together, so as to clamp the connecting-bars. The outer supporting-legs or those near the ends of each of the main or connecting bars therefor may be provided with collars 31, having hooks 32 to support the clews or cords 33 of the hammock 34, which may be of the ordinary or any preferred construction.

By providing the upper ends of the portions 21 of the supporting-legs with securingclamps constructed as above set forth it is apparent that by loosening the winged nuts on the screw-bolts 29 the said clamps may be moved longitudinally on the bars 20 to any suitable point and there secured by tightening the saidnuts. It is also evident that these clamps will permit of the legs being turned in a plane at right angles to the axes of the bars 20, so that the desired inclination of the legs may be attained to properly support the hammockthat is, the outer legs of each series may be inclined inwardly, while the intermediate legs may beinclined outwardly, as is clearly shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings. If the ground or surface on which the legs rest is uneven or sloping, the portions 22 may be adjusted within the portion 21 of the legs to the proper positions and there held by means of fastenings 24, as is obvious.

In Fig. 5 of the drawings I have shown a modification in the construction of the support and have illustrated the parts arranged to form a support for one end ot a hammock, as well as a support for a swing. This modification consists in employing a main or connecting bar, which comprises a tubular piece 35, having near one of its ends a spring-catch 36 to engage another piece or portion 37, which is adapted to telescope or fit into the portion 35, as is clearly shown in Fig. 6 of the drawings, and a series of supporting-legs, which are of the same construction as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings and above described, but instead of being provided with securingbolts for fixing the sections of each leg together are provided with spring-hatches 38, which will engage openings 39 in the lower portions of the legs. The upper end of the portion 21 of each of the middle legs is provided with a clamp 25, while each of the upper portions of the outer legs on the sections and 37, comprising the main or connecting bar, is provided with a securing-clamp constructed as shown in details in Figs. 10 to 12, inclusive. Each of these clamps comprises two pieces 40, which are semicircular in cross-section and are formed so that when their fiat edges are placed together they will provide a socket 41 to receive the upper end of the portion 21 of the supporting-leg, on which it is secured. The upper portion of each of the pieces is provided with a concavo-convex portion 42, which are slightly separated, as shown. Located between the members 42 is a spherical piece 43, which has an opening 44, preferably serrated, extending therethrough to receive the main or connecting bar. As shown in Figs. 10 and 11, the spherical piece 43 has two upwardly-extending apertured lugs 45, in the openings of which is located a set-screw 46, used for drawing them together, so as to clamp them on the main or connecting bar.

By employing clamps of the construction just above described it is apparent that the outer legs or those located near each end of each of the sections 35 and 37, comprising the main bar, may not only be turned in a plane at right angles to the axis of the bar, but may be inclined at an angle in the same plane of said axis, as is shown at 47 in Fig. 5 of the drawings. This adjustability of the legs is one of great importance, as it allows them to be spread or so placed as to afford a very firm support.

In Fig. 5 the legs, as at 48, are shown arranged to support the section 37 of the main bar, on which is mounted a swing, which consists of a cord or cable 49, secured at its upper ends to collars 50, loosely mounted on the main bar, which collars may be of any suitable construction.

Insteadof using the securing-clamps, as

,above described, on the supporting-legs I may employ clamps constructed as shown in Figs. 8 and 9, which consist of a socket-piece 51, having in its upper portion a transverse opening 52, which is preferably serrated and flaring at each of its ends, so as to allow of movement of the legs longitudinally with respect to the main bar while secured thereon. The upper portion of the piece 51 is provided with apertured lugs 53 a slight distance apart, which may be drawn together by means of a suitable screw located in the openings thereof.

In Fig. 7 the support is shown with its parts arranged to form a ridge-pole support for a tent, and in this construction I may employ any of the forms of clamps on the supportinglegs shown and above described without departing from the spirit of my invention. While I have shown the main or connecting bar in this construction as being composed of two pieces or sections 54 and 55, so that they may be telescoped together or disconnected, yet I do not desire to be limited to a two-piece bar, as I may einploya bar made of one piece only.

In Fig. 13 is shown still another modification and the parts arranged as a hammocksupport, which modification consists in uniting the main bars 20 by means of a brace rod, which is preferably made of two pieces 56 and 57, which have their inner ends oppo- -IIO sitely screw-threaded to receive an internallythreaded sleeve or turnbuckle 58, used for adjusting the connecting-rods 56 and 57, as is apparent.

From the foregoing and by reference to the drawings it will be seen and clearly understood that when the parts are arranged as shown in i Fig. 5 the outer legs 47 and the intermediate leg on the main bar 85 will form a support for one end of a hammock, the other end of which may be supported by a support of similar construction or of a different construction, if desired. It is evident that by loosening the fastenings of the securing-clamps and also the catches or fastenings which fix the portions of the legs together the legs may be removed from the main bars and their portions telescoped together, so that they may be packed into a compact form and easily handled or carried.

In the construction shown in Figs. 7 and 18 I may employ sectional or telescopic supporting-legs, althoughI have shown in the former figurethe said legs as each being formed of one piece.

Having thus iullydescribed my invention,

what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination with a main bar, of a series of supporting-legs therefor, a securingclamp located on the upper portion of each of said legs and having an opening to receive the said legs, said clamps comprising two semicircular pieces in cross-section having in their lower ends a socket to receive the leg and in their upper ends a concavity, a split spherical piece having an opening for the main bar and located in said cavity, and means to clamp the members of the said piece on said bar, substantially as described.

3. In a support for a hammock, the combination with two main or connecting bars, of a series of supporting-legs therefor, a securing-clamp located on the upper portion of each of said legs and having an opening to receive the main bars, means to fix the clamps on said bars, said clamps constructed so that they, as well as the legs on which they are secured, may have an angular movement longitudinally with respect to the bar, substantially as described.

ESTELLA Gr. PATTEN. Witnesses:

OHAs. C. TILLMAN, A. Gus'rAFsoN. 

